From 1 July 2007, virtually all enclosed public places and workplaces in England will be smoke-free.

The new smoke-free law is being introduced to protect employees and the public from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke. The harmful effects of smoking have long been recognised and passive smoking in particular is increasingly seen as a threat to people's health.

The new law applies to anything that can be smoked. This includes cigarettes, pipes (including water pipes such as shisha and hookah pipes), cigars and herbal cigarettes.

The Council’s Environmental Health Officers are responsible for enforcing the new law and have been working with Dacorum’s 5000 businesses to help ensure that everyone knows what they need to do to comply.

What premises are covered by the smoke free legislation? ,

What are 'enclosed' and 'substantially enclosed' public places? ,

Where can I get help, signs and resources for my business? ,

What are the penalties for breaking the law? ,

What help is there for people to stop smoking? ,

Useful fact sheets for businesses

If you need further advice on how the smoke free legislation affects you or your business contact the Council's Environmental Health team on 01442 228084, or e-mail environmental.health@dacorum.gov.uk   You can also find information on the Smoke-Free England website.